People

Luke Mackinder PI

Luke completed his undergraduate degree in Natural Sciences at Durham University, UK where he graduated in Organic Chemistry and Molecular Biology. During his MSc and PhD, his research focused on viral infection and carbon fixation of marine phytoplankton. Pursuing his passion for understanding carbon fixation in eukaryotic algae, he completed his postdoctoral research in the Jonikas Lab at the Carnegie Institution for Plant Sciences, Stanford USA, where he worked on the carbon concentrating mechanism of the model green algae Chlamydomonas reinhardtii. Since October 2016 he is a lecturer at the University of York where his lab uses systems and synthetic biology approaches to understand eukaryotic and prokaryotic carbon fixation. If he is not in the lab, you'll find Luke riding the roads and trails of Yorkshire on his bike, chasing Yorkshire waves or hanging out with his wife and three daughters.

Charlotte Walker Discovery Fellow/Postdoc

I completed my BSc in Biological Sciences at the University of Exeter in 2011, after which I left the UK to work on a marine conservation project with the Bahamas National Trust. After 1. 5 years of fine tuning my scientific diving skills and avoiding temperate weather, I returned to the UK to study for a MRes in Marine Biology with Plymouth University. My project focused on the molecular monitoring of harmful algal blooms. During this time I developed a fascination for microalgae physiology and how they influence life on Earth. This led on to my Ph.D research which was conducted with the University of Southampton and the Marine Biological Association of the UK whereby I explored mechanisms of calcification in coccolithophores, photosynthetic marine microalgae which produce calcium carbonate platelets and greatly influence ocean biogeochemistry.
After finishing my Ph.D I have been fortunate to join the Mackinder Lab here in York. I am really interested in physiology and fundamental life processes, therefore the opportunity to work on Chlamydomonas carbon fixation is really exciting. During the project we will be focusing on characterizing HCO3- transport within the carbon concentrating mechanism.

Onyou Nam Postdoc

I completed my Bachelor's degree in Biotechnology at Sejong University in Korea. During this time, I became interested in single-cell organisms, mainly marine phytoplankton. This led to my PhD research in Life Science at Hanyang University in Seoul, Korea, focusing on the biomineralisation mechanism of the coccolithophorid alga Emiliania huxleyi, which is an important species for the global carbon cycle. After finishing my PhD, I was delighted to join the Mackinder lab to understand the fundamental biology of carbon fixation in photosynthetic organisms. My project focuses on developing high-throughput approaches to rapidly advance our knowledge of the pyrenoid-based CO2-concentrating mechanism in the diatom Thalassiosira pseudonana. During my spare time, I enjoy walking/travelling with my family and like to watch films and sports.

Mihris Naduthodi Postdoc

After completing my Bachelors in Biotechnology and Biochemical Engineering from University of Kerala in India, I moved to the Netherlands in 2015 to pursue my Masters in Cellular and Molecular Biotechnology at the Wageningen University and Research. During this time, I was introduced to the CRISPR-Cas systems and was fascinated by its application as a genome engineering tool across organisms. This interest led me to the lab of John van der Oost, one of the pioneers in the field of CRISPR technology to perform my MSc thesis where I gained experience on using this technology for generating mutants in thermophilic bacteria. Later on, after completing my MSc, I was appointed as a PhD candidate under the supervision of John and Maria Barbosa where I developed novel CRISPR-based genetic tools for microalgae Nannochloropsis oceanica. Upon completion of my PhD in 2021 and after working with microalgae for four years, I was curious about the carbon fixing mechanisms in microalgae. Research into this field led me to the Mackinder lab, where I presently study the carbon concentration mechanisms in microalgae.

Katy Davis Postdoc

Katy completed her PhD in Biochemistry at the University of Cambridge, focussing on Golgi-localised enzymes involved in plant cell wall biosynthesis. She has now returned to York (where she completed her undergraduate degree in biochemistry) to join the Mackinder lab, and is investigating proteins involved in membrane remodelling in Chlamydomonas. In her spare time, Katy enjoys making artwork and experimenting with different media (with varying rates of success!).

James Barrett Postdoc

I completed my PhD in the Mackinder Lab in 2023, in which I focussed on the identification and characterisation of linker proteins in the pyrenoids of green lineage algae. During this time I developed an interest in understanding the evolutionary timing and apparent convergence of pyrenoid-based CO2-concentrating mechanisms, as well as in understanding the molecular details driving Rubisco condensation in pyrenoids. My current project in the lab, funded by the Carbon Technology Research Foundation (CTRF), aims to build on the discovery of a plant-compatible pyrenoid linker protein from the green alga Chlorella sorokiniana.

Justin Lau Postdoc

I graduated in BSc Plant sciences at the University of Sheffield in 2016. During my degree, I joined Professor Andrew Fleming’s lab group to investigate the impact of stomatal change on A. thaliana histology. At that time I was introduced to the panoply of ways that plant scientists are developing to boost photosynthetic efficiency and improve crop yield. Soon I was fascinated by CCMs, with their often intricate and elegant coupling of physical structure and biochemical pathways. This led to my final year project on light-dark transition of carboxylation/decarboxylation enzyme kinetics in the C4 mechanism in Professor Richard Leegood's group. Continuing this work after graduation, I focused on dissecting enzyme kinetic differences in C4 sub type models. This year, I’m very happy to be in the Mackinder lab, exploring the beauty of another complex CCM. On the weekends, you can normally find me busy in the kitchen making food for my friends for a cosy night in.

Ousmane Dao Royal Society Career Development Fellow/Postdoc

After finishing high school in Mali in 2014, I obtained my bachelor's degree in microbial biotechnology in Algeria at the University Ahmed Ben Bella in 2017. I then joined Agroparistech in Paris Saclay, where I obtained my master's degree in plant sciences. This master's degree gave me a taste for academic research, which led me to pursue a PhD in microalgae biology in Li-Beisson's group at the CEA Cadarache, France. During my PhD, I discovered the world of eukaryotic photosynthesis: from the regulation/management of electron transfer reactions to the Calvin cycle and the mechanism of CO2 concentration. My PhD thesis focused specifically on the acclimation mechanisms of photosynthesis during environmental fluctuations in CO₂, light and nutrients. To this end, I used the unicellular model microalga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii. In Luke's group, I study the physiological role of pyrenoid-based CCM components in microalgae and test their functionality in plants with the aim of improving productivity. Outside the lab, you'll find me either on a football pitch, or at home reading books or watching videos.

Herbie Garland PhD Student

In 2023 I graduated from the University of York with a degree in Biology with a year in industry. During my degree I completed a Generation Research summer studentship with Dr Charlotte Walker and Professor Luke Mackinder investigating inorganic carbon uptake in the modal alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii. This was where I first developed my interest in carbon concentrating mechanisms, the pyrenoid, and of membrane-less organelles broadly. After a brief stint as a research technician at the University of Sheffield, I have come back to the Mackinder lab to do a PhD investigating the unique structural proteins surrounding the pyrenoid of the diatom Thalassisoira pseudonana. We hope to investigate their function in the carbon concentrating mechanism of this important organism through cryo electron microscopy and in vivo manipulation. Outside the lab I am an avid rock climber.

Sol Wrathall Research Technician

In 2022 I obtained a PhD in Chemistry at the University of York in the Hunt/Parkin labs, with a research project exploring active site structural dynamics in NiFe-hydrogenases with ultrafast pump-probe and two-dimensional infrared spectroscopy. In 2023 I worked as an analytical scientist in the veterinary medicines division of the food and environment research agency (Fera). In 2024 I joined the Mackinder lab as a research technician with a project focussing on understanding the roles of the carbonic anhydrases in the Chlamydomonas CCM.

Henrique Plihal Ferreira Laboratory Technician

Since my time in high school in Brazil, I have been very interested in Biology, particularly Plant Biology, which eventually led me to study an Integrated Masters degree in Biotechnology and Microbiology at the University of York. My first experience in a working lab was a summer internship at the Mackinder lab in 2024 under Dr Mihris Naduthodi. Fortunately, I would return to the Mackinder lab for my final year project, where I worked under Dr Charlotte Walker alongside Dr Chris MacDonald in characterising two C. reinhardtii CCM enzymes by using yeast as an expression system. Since my graduation I have been working as a laboratory technician under Dr Ousmane Dao, where we are aiming to understand more about the C. reinhardtii photorespiration proteins. In my free time I enjoy watching sumo wrestling and playing games.

Finn Russell MRes

I graduated from my BSc in Biology at the University of York in July 2026, having completed a final year project investigating the efficiency of arbuscular mycorrhizal biofertilizers applied to broad bean, and a placement year researching label-free photonic detection of proteins at Phorest Diagnostics. I developed an interest in algal biology during a biotechnology project in my second year of study, and I'm extremely keen to spend the coming year exploring this exciting field as a MRes student in the Mackinder lab. In my free time, I enjoy running, playing guitar, reading, and scuba diving.

Josh Pasanting PhD Student

I completed my BSc in Biology at Lancaster University where I was first introduced to plant science research. I was particularly captivated by Rubisco research and its potential to enhance carbon assimilation in crops. I then completed my MSc in Plant Science and Biotechnology at the University of Leeds where I had the opportunity to undertake a project in the West Lab investigating the mechanistic link between genome maintenance and seedling vigour in Arabidopsis to elucidate the genetic determinants of high-quality seeds.
It was during this time that I conducted several independent course projects in Rubisco regulation research where I developed an interest in CCMs and was fascinated by the concept of a phase-separated Rubisco microcompartment as an adaptation to aqueous environments and the prospect of reconstituting CCM structures in plants to improve photosynthesis. I am thrilled to undertake my PhD in the Mackinder lab where I am able to revisit eukaryotic carbon fixation and contribute to further elucidating the protein machinery supporting pyrenoid structure and function. Beyond the lab, I love playing racket sports and baking.